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A Just And Healthy Life: Every Woman's RightFri, 31 Jul 2015 19:54:29 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.3At UN, Governments Agree Equality and Health for Women Means Progress for Allhttp://iwhc.org/2014/03/un-governments-agree-equality-health-women-means-progress/
http://iwhc.org/2014/03/un-governments-agree-equality-health-women-means-progress/#commentsThu, 27 Mar 2014 21:26:56 +0000http://iwhc.org/?p=8653After an exhausting, but exhilarating two weeks at the United Nations, the Commission on the Status of Women closed with a strong commitment from governments to promote the health and human rights of women and girls.

]]>I’m happy to report that after an exhausting, but exhilarating two weeks at the United Nations, the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) closed early Saturday morning with a strong commitment from governments to promote the health and human rights of women and girls.

The International Women’s Health Coalition and our amazing allies and partners from around the world came out in force for the negotiations to ensure a strong outcome. Our agenda was clear: push governments to prioritize gender equality as an essential goal for sustainable development.

Negotiations at the UN are important — they generate concrete commitments that advocates can use to hold governments accountable. But this year’s CSW was especially critical, as more than 3,000 government and civil society representatives gathered to assess progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and to set priorities for the next development agenda, beginning in 2015.

We had our work cut out for us.

This year, a strong and vocal opposition arose from the Vatican and a few conservative countries. At every step in the negotiations, they opposed fundamental concepts such as the “human rights of women,” “reproductive rights,” and even objected to the use of the word “gender.” In a brazen attempt to roll back women’s sexual and reproductive rights, this faction repeatedly opposed references to sexuality education, modern methods of contraception, and safe and legal abortion.

But the incredible, dedicated women (and men) who gathered in New York from around the world proved that we are an irresistible force. We secured commitments from our governments to protect women’s sexual heath and rights, and we prevailed in our primary objective for this year’s CSW: to get governments to support a global development goal focused specifically on gender equality and women’s rights.

We know that countries thrive when women and girls are educated, empowered, strong, and healthy. As women, we have the power to transform societies, but we must have the tools to succeed — including full and unfettered access to sexual and reproductive health services. We have a human right to these services, and it makes economic sense for governments to ensure our rights are fulfilled.

The governments assembled at the Commission on the Status of Women agreed.

In the 20-page agreed conclusions, the Commission stated — in addition to a stand-alone goal on gender equality — that the post-2015 development agenda must include gender-specific targets across all development goals — especially those related to education, health, economic justice, and the environment. In its assessment of the MDGs, the Commission noted the goals furthest from being achieved are those focused on women and girls. They agreed to take renewed action to improve maternal health and achieve gender equality, end violence against women, stop child marriage and female genital mutilation, and promote women and adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health and rights, including their access to comprehensive sexuality education and their right to control all aspects of their sexuality. This augurs well for the post-2015 development agenda to be negotiated in greater detail over the next 18 months!

By committing to and investing in efforts to achieve gender equality, governments can unleash the power of half the world’s population to build a more peaceful, just, and sustainable planet. IWHC will continue to work in partnership with women’s groups from around the world to make sure that the promises made at the UN become a reality in communities everywhere.

]]>http://iwhc.org/2014/03/un-governments-agree-equality-health-women-means-progress/feed/0Peruvian “Let Her Decide” Abortion Campaign Takes Next Stephttp://iwhc.org/2014/03/peruvian-let-decide-abortion-campaign-takes-next-step/
http://iwhc.org/2014/03/peruvian-let-decide-abortion-campaign-takes-next-step/#commentsMon, 17 Mar 2014 17:09:12 +0000http://iwhc.org/?p=8580Dejala Decidir in Peru has submitted 60,000 signatures in support of a bill that would decriminalize abortion in cases of rape. Currently, abortion is only allowed if the pregnancy threatens the life or health of the mother.

]]>On March 8, IWHC’s partner in Peru, PROMSEX, along with its coalition partners of the Dejala Decidir campaign, DEMUS (Study for the Defense of Women’s Rights), Flora Tristán (Center of the Peruvian Woman), CDD-Peru (Catholics for the Right to Decide), CLADEM-Peru (Latin American and Caribbean Committee for the Defense of Women’s Rights), and Movimiento Manuela Ramos, submitted 60,000 signatures to the country’s National Elections Jury (JNE) and National Identification and Civil Status Registry (RENIEC) to trigger a Citizens’ Legislative Initiative that proposes a bill that would decriminalize abortion in cases of rape.

Now, the campaign waits for the JNE and RENIEC to validate the signatures, which is expected to take approximately one month. After the signatures are verified, Congress has 120 days to debate the bill in committee, draft an opinion and send it to the full Congress for a vote.

Every year, approximately 35,000 pregnancies are the result of rape in Peru. Currently, abortion is only allowed if the pregnancy threatens the life or health of the mother. Abortion for any other reasons, including rape or serious fetal abnormalities, is penalized with prison terms anywhere from three months to two years. This draconian criminalization of abortion makes it more likely that women will risk their lives with an unsafe abortion rather than carry an unwanted pregnancy to term. Unsafe abortion is the third leading cause of maternal mortality in Peru.

As we blogged last year, the campaign has been a huge success in terms of raising public awareness of the issue. The campaign needed 60,000 signatures to trigger the initiative to introduce the bill to Congress; it collected nearly 100,000. And polling in Lima confirms that public opinion is shifting: a 2010 poll found 57.2 percent of respondents favored decriminalization of abortion in cases of rape, up from 44.6 percent in 2005.

In this second phase of the campaign, Dejala Decidir will be working to mobilize opinion leaders, allies from other organizations, supportive members of Congress, and the general public to support the bill in Congress. We’ll keep you updated on the campaign’s progress through the spring and summer.

]]>http://iwhc.org/2014/03/peruvian-let-decide-abortion-campaign-takes-next-step/feed/0Pro-Choice Movement Gains Momentum in Peruhttp://iwhc.org/2013/12/pro-choice-movement-gains-momentum-peru/
http://iwhc.org/2013/12/pro-choice-movement-gains-momentum-peru/#commentsTue, 03 Dec 2013 17:41:27 +0000http://iwhc.wpengine.com/?p=8223Last September, one of IWHC’s partner organizations, PROMSEX, along with other feminist organizations in Peru, launched the “Déjala Decidir” (“Let Her Decide”) campaign to collect at least 60,000 signatures in support of a proposal that would decriminalize abortion in the case of rape. (Currently, abortion is only permitted when the woman’s life or health is [...]

]]>Last September, one of IWHC’s partner organizations, PROMSEX, along with other feminist organizations in Peru, launched the “Déjala Decidir” (“Let Her Decide”) campaign to collect at least 60,000 signatures in support of a proposal that would decriminalize abortion in the case of rape. (Currently, abortion is only permitted when the woman’s life or health is at risk.) Roughly a year after the launch of the campaign, our colleagues have achieved an impressive victory, collecting nearly 100,000 signatures in 13 regions of the country.

IWHC recently visited Peru to talk to our colleagues about their achievement, strategies, and challenges.

PROMSEX, together with the feminist groups DEMUS (Estudio para la Defensa de los Derechos de la Mujer, or “Study for the Defense of Women’s Rights”), Flora Tristán-Center of the Peruvian Woman, Catholics for the Right to Decide-Peru, CLADEM-Peru (Comité de América Latina y el Caribe para la Defensa de los Derechos de la Mujer, or “Latin American and Caribbean Committee for the Defense of Women’s Rights”), and Movimiento Manuela Ramos, used various methods to attract support for their cause. The campaign collected signatures at public and community events, as well as outside universities, schools, and shopping centers. By June 2013, the campaign’s Facebook page had more than 20,000 likes, and a YouTube channel with six videos that explain the campaign’s purpose and arguments.

On May 28, International Day of Action for Women’s Health, the campaign held a press conference to display the first 60,000 signatures collected in support of the proposal. The event succeeded in increasing the campaign’s visibility, showcasing public support for abortion in cases of rape, and dispelling the notion that there is little support for choice in Peru.

The campaign was covered extensively by newspapers, radio and TV. A national newspaper, Diario 16, declared its support daily on its front page during the campaign’s signature drive. Dejala Decidir also attracted very active support from two congresswomen, Verónika Mendoza and Rosa Mavila, as well as various public figures in Peru such as Nobel Prize-winning author Mario Vargas Llosa. A diverse array of allies, including the largest labor union in Peru, LGBTI organizations, and student organizations, all expressed support. By September 2013, 35 organizations had joined the campaign.

Surprisingly, young men were the most likely demographic to sign the petition in support of a law. Our colleagues at PROMSEX speculate that young women were less likely to publicly endorse the campaign because of the stigma surrounding abortion, and the fear that signing the petition could be perceived as admitting they had an abortion. The strength and influence of the Catholic Church — especially with young women — may have factored into these results.

The campaign is now facing opposition by anti-choice organizations and the Catholic Church — not only challenging their efforts to expand access to abortion — but also trying to criminalize abortion without exception. These groups launched a counter-campaign to collect signatures in favor of a legislative initiative to promote the “right to be born” for every “child.” There is also a push in Congress to challenge the existing law that permits abortion to save the life or health of the woman, which has been the law in Peru since 1924. If opponents succeed, the Peruvian government would favor the rights of a fetus over the rights of women.

The Déjala Decidir campaign intends to present its proposal and corresponding signatures to Congress for debate in early 2014. In the meantime, PROMSEX and its colleagues will continue to educate legislators about the importance of choice for victims of sexual violence.

While our colleagues face considerable challenges, they’ve already achieved an important victory by far exceeding the number of signatures required to push for a debate on the decriminalization of abortion in the case of rape, while also raising awareness of the prevalence of sexual violence in Peru and educating the population on why choice for victims of rape is critical. This achievement disproves anti-choice groups’ claims that Peru is a society that opposes abortion in all cases. Widespread support for the campaign has moved public opinion in favor of greater rights for women and increased public awareness of sexual violence.

We and our partners hope the campaign will ultimately result in greater recognition of the reproductive rights of Peruvian women.

]]>http://iwhc.org/2013/12/pro-choice-movement-gains-momentum-peru/feed/0Partner: Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir-Brazilhttp://iwhc.org/partners/cddbrazil/
http://iwhc.org/partners/cddbrazil/#commentsWed, 13 Nov 2013 04:26:42 +0000http://iwhc.wpengine.com/?post_type=partners&p=6811Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir (CDD, or “Catholics for the Right to Decide”) is a network of 12 Catholic social justice groups throughout Latin America committed to the defense of women’s rights, with a focus on sexual and reproductive rights, gender equality, and combating violence against women and discrimination. The Brazil chapter was founded [...]

]]>Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir (CDD, or “Catholics for the Right to Decide”) is a network of 12 Catholic social justice groups throughout Latin America committed to the defense of women’s rights, with a focus on sexual and reproductive rights, gender equality, and combating violence against women and discrimination.

The Brazil chapter was founded in 1994 as a non-governmental feminist organization and has become a respected and visible counterpoint to the Roman Catholic Church on matters related to sexual and reproductive rights and health. CDD-Brazil produces and disseminates ethical and religious arguments that arm social movements in their fight to change society’s mentality towards women’s rights. It is the only organization in the country that works at the intersection of sexual and reproductive rights and religion.

]]>http://iwhc.org/partners/cddbrazil/feed/0Partner: Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir-Argentinahttp://iwhc.org/partners/cddargentina/
http://iwhc.org/partners/cddargentina/#commentsWed, 13 Nov 2013 04:24:08 +0000http://iwhc.wpengine.com/?post_type=partners&p=6809Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir (CDD-Argentina, or “Catholics for the Right to Decide”) is an independent movement of Catholic people committed to social justice and women’s rights, including sexual and reproductive rights, and the right to live free from violence and discrimination. CDD-Argentina works towards achieving gender equality, and challenges religious fundamentalism from a [...]

]]>Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir (CDD-Argentina, or “Catholics for the Right to Decide”) is an independent movement of Catholic people committed to social justice and women’s rights, including sexual and reproductive rights, and the right to live free from violence and discrimination. CDD-Argentina works towards achieving gender equality, and challenges religious fundamentalism from a theological and feminist perspective.

CDD-Argentina has played a leading role in mobilizing communities to demand access to safe and legal abortion in the country. As part of these efforts, the group helped launch La Campaña Nacional por el Derecho al Aborto Legal, Seguro y Gratuito (the National Campaign for the Right to Legal, Safe and Free Abortion), and works with other organizations to monitor abortion services. CDD-Argentina has also helped train more than 550 health professionals on sexual and reproductive health and rights issues through its partnerships with universities.

]]>http://iwhc.org/partners/cddargentina/feed/0Catholic, Pro-Choice, and Complicatedhttp://iwhc.org/2009/10/catholic-pro-choice-and-complicated/
http://iwhc.org/2009/10/catholic-pro-choice-and-complicated/#commentsTue, 13 Oct 2009 21:13:07 +0000http://blog.iwhc.org/?p=2190One of the organizations that belongs to the With Women Worldwide compact to end HIV/AIDS, for which IWHC is the secretariat, is a really fascinating group called Catholics for Choice. They have a variety of campaigns that promote their mission and ethics – one of my favorites is their Condoms for Life campaign (slogan: Good [...]

Large majorities of Catholic voters support health insurance coverage for abortions—either in a private or a government-run scheme:
• when a pregnancy poses a threat to the life of a woman (84 percent)
• when a pregnancy is due to rape or incest (76 percent)
when a pregnancy poses long-term health risks for the woman (73 percent)
• when test results show a fetus has a severe abnormal condition (66 percent)